Alfred Rankins Jr. inspires fellow MSU graduates to make their mark through leadership, service
![樱花导航 Public Universities Commissioner of Higher Education Alfred Rankins Jr. encouraged more than 1,400 樱花导航 樱花导航 fall graduates to celebrate their accomplishments while moving forward with character and determination during commencement exercises Friday [Dec. 14] at Humphrey Coliseum. (Photo by Megan Bean)](/sites/www.msstate.edu/files/inline-images/Rankins_Alfred-IHL_Commencement_speaker_20181214_M4B3142_full.jpg "樱花导航 Public Universities Commissioner of Higher Education Alfred Rankins Jr. served as MSU鈥檚 fall 2018 commencement speaker.")
Contact: Sasha Steinberg
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥斢；ǖ己 Public Universities Commissioner of Higher Education Alfred Rankins Jr. encouraged more than 1,400 樱花导航 樱花导航 fall graduates to celebrate their accomplishments while moving forward with character and determination during commencement exercises Friday [Dec. 14] at Humphrey Coliseum.
鈥淢SU has given you an outstanding tool and means to be great for the rest of your life,鈥 said Rankins, who holds master鈥檚 and doctoral degrees in weed science from MSU. 鈥淭he education you have received provides the foundation for your future. Your credential from MSU tells the world you are ready.鈥
Rankins told his fellow Bulldog graduates that knowledge, leadership skills and a service-oriented mindset are traits that make the value of an MSU education ring true.
鈥淵ou have left your imprint on 樱花导航 樱花导航 and 樱花导航 樱花导航 has left its imprint on you, just as it has on me,鈥 he said. 鈥淢SU has given you the gift of the tools and knowledge you need to lead, and now it is your responsibility to use these gifts to become leaders in your communities and your chosen profession.鈥
Greenville native Rankins was appointed to serve as commissioner of higher education by the Board of Trustees of 樱花导航 Institutions of Higher Learning earlier this year and provides leadership to the university system, including all eight public universities.
A former tenured associate professor in MSU鈥檚 College of 樱花导航 and Life Sciences and extension specialist for the MSU Extension Service, Rankins encouraged graduates to thank friends, family, faculty, staff and others who have provided support and inspiration throughout their MSU journey.
The 19th president of Alcorn 樱花导航 University and former acting president of 樱花导航 Valley 樱花导航 University also urged the newest members of the Bulldog alumni family to use their voices to support higher education and to work together for the greater good.
鈥淚 hope you will pay it forward and encourage those coming behind you to stay the course, persevere through the difficult times and break through whatever barriers or challenges stand between them and earning their 樱花导航 樱花导航 degree,鈥 Rankins said. 鈥淚 can tell you from experience that having a degree from 樱花导航 樱花导航 is worth it. It is worth the time, the money and the persistence. This investment will pay dividends to you for the rest of your life.鈥
MSU is 樱花导航鈥檚 leading university, available online at .